Portable electric heater



Feb. 26, 1935. 4; 1.. WHITN'EY 2,

" I PORTABLE ELECTRIC HEATER Filed June 27, 1932 I J If .5. l6 1 L I] (I -//4 x "15 l INVENTOR 4 a -CharleslZW/ufngy,

ATTORNEY of the heater.

Patented Feb. 26, '1935 Charles L Whitney,

Upper Darby, Pa., assignor to Fiexo Heat Company, Inez, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June'Z'I, 1932, Serial No. 619,462

4 Claims. (01. 219-46) The object of the invention is to provide improvements in heaters broadly, but .more especially in that type which is designed to heat containers of food and the like, such as milk bottles for infants. 7

Another object is to provide a heater, which is primarily flexible to permit its being laid out flat, as for instance in ones valise when travelling, and which when desired for use can be rolled into a hollow cylindrical shape, of various diameters, if preferred, in order to accommodate containers of, different sizes.

A further object is to provide for a device of this character an improved bracket, whereby the heater may be detachably secured to various supporting surfaces, such as the dashboardof a vehicle, and means for connecting the heater to said bracket, which means also comprise means for conducting electric current from a suitable source, such as the customary storage battery of the vehicle, to the resistance unit forming a part Still another object is to provide in such a device the combination of a flat resistance unit with terminals therefore, which terminals also comprise means for detachably connecting the device to the bracket hereinbefore referred to, said unit being properly covered upon both faces and upon its outer face being insulated, so as to minimize radiation away from the object positioned within and to be heated by the device.

With these and other objects in mind, the present invention comprises further details of con-. struction and operation which are fully brought out in the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a heater comprising one embodiment of the invention in extended position and with a portion of the inner fabric or lining material broken away; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same in operative position and containing a bottle or similar container; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a partially fragmentary side elevation of the improved bracket used to normally support the heater; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the preferred form of resistance grid secured to asbestos or similar lining of insulation material.

Referring to the drawing, the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an outer layer of fabric, leather, or other suitable material 1, the peripheral edge portions 2 of which may be folded over, so as to protect the adjacent edge portions of a layer of asbestos 3 or other insulating material next to said outer layer, also a flat electric resistance unit or grid 4, and the inner layer 5 which covers said grid and may also be made of fabric or other suitable material.

The outer surface of the outer fabric 1 is pro vided adjacent to one end portion with one or more so-called glove fasteners 6 or equivalent fastening means, while a corresponding fastener 7 is carried by a tongue or reduced extension 8 of i the opposite end portion of said fabric. Thus, when the device is rolled into substantially cylindrical form, the fasteners 6 and 7 may be connected so as to provide a holder for one or more sizes of bottles, cans, or other desired containersv 9, which is prevented from falling from within the heater by a strap 10 or the like, provided with. a fastener 11 which is adapted to operatively engage a corresponding fastener 12 upon the outer surface of said outer layer.

The electric resistance unit 4 is preferably in the form of a grid, though it may assume the shape of resistance material in wire or tap form wound upon a suitable heat-resistant base memher, if preferred. In the present case, a grid comprising a plurality of alternately directed spaced parallel sections 13 is provided, each such section being preferably stitched by threads 14 to the heat-resistant base layer 3 of asbestos or the like. While the electrically opposite ends of the grid may be arranged respectively, or positioned in the heater, in any desired manner, one of the said ends 15 at least may be directed towards the other end 16, so that suitable eyelet fasteners 1'7 and 18 respectively may be closely associated, after they are secured to the said grid ends and to the asbestos base and outer covering layer as shown, said fasteners then simultaneously comprising electric terminals for said grid, and supporting means for the heater as hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown a clamp which is representative of any form of clamp which is adapted for the purpose which this clamp is intended. Specifically, the clamp comprises a U-shaped member 19 having two integral arms 20 and 21, through the former of which there extends a clamping screw 22 or the like, While the latter arm issecured to or molded in a head 23 of suitable insulating material, in which is al o embedded a metallic fastening member 24 both in contact with the clamp arm 21 and adapted to securely receive the terminal fastener 17 carried by the heater, a second metallic fastening member 25 being also embedded within the head 23 and being operative to securely receive the terminal fastener 18 carried by the heater,

said last-named member, 25 being connected to a source of electric current of preferably very low voltage, such as the 6 volts given oil by the storage batteries (not shown) in common use today in automotive vehicles. Such electric connection is made by means of a wire 26, which may extend rearwardly from the fastener 25 through the usual dash or instrument board 27 of a vehicle, or other suitable support, which is clampedbetween the head 23 and the screw 22, said clamp and at least a portion of said board forming a ground connection for the electric current entering the heater through the fasteners 24 and 17.

The device, if desired, may also be provided with a suitable loop 23 for supporting it when the clamp 19 and its connections are not available. Also, instead of or in addition to the terminal fasteners 1'7 and 18, wires may lead from the ends of the grid to a plug-and-socket connection (not shown), while the shape, size and arrangement of the several elements comprising the device, as well as the material of which they are made, may be altered whenever and as desired in order to lower the cost of manufacture, to simplify the article, or to increase the eificiency thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

1. A portable electric heater, comprising a flexible supporting member adapted to be extended in flat shape when not in use, a flexible grid attached thereto, means to yieldingly secure said member in the shape of a hollow body adapted to receive and surround an article to be heated, and means carried by one portion of said member and adapted to extend towards and have its free end secured to another portion of said member, to provide supporting means for an article surrounded .by said member.

2. A portable electric heater, comprising a flex- I ll,992,593

ible supporting member adapted to be extended in flat shape when not in use, a flexible grid attached thereto, means to yieldingly secure said member in the shape of a hollow body adapted to receive and surround an article to be heated, sup-- porting elements carried by said member and also comprising the electric terminals of said grid, and a supporting bracket engageable by said elements and operative to conduct electric current to and from said grid by way of said elements.

3. A portable electric heater, comprising a fleaible supporting member adapted to be extended in fiat shape when not in use, a flexible grid attached thereto, means to yieldingly secure said member in the shapeof a hollow body adapted to receive and surround an article to be heated, means carried by one portion of said member and adapted to extend towards and have its free end secured to another portion of said member, to provide supporting means for an article surrounded by said member, supporting elements carried by said member and also ccnprising the electric terminals of said grid, and a supporting bracket engageable by said elements and operative to conduct electric current to and from said grid by way of said elements.

4. A portable electric heater, comprising a flexible supporting structure in turn comprising an outer covering, a sheet of flexible homogeneous heat-insulating material next thereto, a resistance unit adjacent to said materialna protective lining for said structure, means to yieldingly secure the opposite edge portions of said structure to provide a hollow container for an article being heated, and means detachable from one of said edge portions to yieldingly effect the closing of one end of such container to prevent the passage of an article being heated therefrom in one direction.

CHARLES L. WHITNEY. 

